So I called Mor-Drop( they are located in Oakland CA) re. having my stock axel modified and they said "sure". A 2.5 inch drop cost about $275 and they can go up to 4 inches.I asked if they could modify my steering arm to compensate for the dropped axel, again their response was "sure" for another $35. This seems reasonable to me and should result in a safe and sound approach to getting the rake I want.

I plan to put the truck on a floor jack, disconnect the shackles, mount one of the tires that I plan to use and check for clearance.That should approximate the eventual results and give me an idea as to how much drop to order.

I am starting over with a different truck that I found just in time before I began work on the truck that I had.I pick up the new truck tomorrow, a 66 Pick-up with C4/9 inch/5 window cab and stainless trim.